Essay, Research Paper: Pythagoras, A Man Of Math

Although Pythagoras was not the best

known Greek mathematician, he made many

contributions to the way we use math today.

Pythagoras is credited with inventing the

Pythagorean theorem. He also founded the

Pythagorean brotherhood. Pythagoras also invented

a lot of number patterns. Plato and Aristotle were

influenced by Pythagoras's way of thinking.

Pythagoras was a Greek religious leader who made

huge developments in math that may have changed

the math world.


Throughout his life, Pythagoras of Samos is

often described as the first pure mathematician. He

is an extremely important figure in the development

of modern mathematics yet we know relatively little



acheivements(Pythagoras:http//www.history.mcs.st

andrews.ac.uk/history/Mathematicians/Pythagoras.

html ). We are not exactly sure of his birth and death

date. Pythagoras was born in about 569 BC in

Samos, Ionia. He died in about 475 BC but his

death place is not known.


Little is known of Pythagoras's childhood.

All accounts of his physical appearance seem to be

false except the description of a birthmark which he

had on his thigh

(Pythagoras:http//www.history.mcs.standrews.ac.uk

/history/Mathematicians/Pythagoras.html).

Pythagoras's father was Mnesarchus who was a

merchant from Tyre. There is a story told that

Mnesarchus brought corn to Samos at a time of




famine and was granted citizenship of Samos as a

mark of gratitude

(Pythagoras:http//www.history.mcs.standrews.ac.uk

/history/Mathematicians/Pythagoras.html).

Pythagoras's mother was Pythais and she was a

native of Samos.


Pythagoras took many trips in his life. His

first came when he was only a child. He visited Italy

with his father. In about 535 BC Pythagoras went to

Egypt. This happened a few years after the Tyrant

Polycrates seized control of Samos. There is

evidence to suggest that Pythagoras and Polycrates

were friends at first but when Polycrates abandoned

his alliance with Egypt and attacked it, their

friendship abruptly ended. Soon after Polycrates

death, Pythagoras returned to Samos.

Pythagoras invented many theorems.

Probably his most popular theorem is the

Pythagorean Theorem. This is used for a right

angled triangle. This theorem enables you to find the

length of the third side of a right triangle when only

knowing the length of two sides. This is considered

his most important contribution to math. Pythagoras

also invented the five regular solids. It is thought

that Pythagoras himself knew how to construct the

first three but it is unlikely that he knew how to

construct the other two.


Pythagoras has made many

accomplishments in his life. His most important

being the Pythagorean Theorem. One would

think he may be one of the most famous

mathematicians in the world, but this is not true. In

fact, few people know who Pythagoras is at all. I

think he should be as popular as Einstein and

Newton and hopefully, in time, he will be. As one can

see, by reading this paper, Pythagoras's

accomplishments have changed the math world.